Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-11-09
system and Persistence,

There is far too much of the hand
to-mouth practice on the farm, and
this applies especially to crops and
the make OF the dairy. If the farmer
has one good year of potatoes, the
next year he will go into potatoes
strong. So it is with the dairyman.
If it is good butter year, and the
cheese factory returns but small divi-
dends, he is about certain to desert
the factory next year and go into but
ter strong. Now, the better plan is to
first determine what make of goods
and what character of product the
farm and surroundings are best fitted
for, and work on, year after year, on
that line, always improving your con-
ditions to do better in that and better
line. Let the market take care of itself,
which it certainly will do in the long
run. If prices are low this year they
are pretty certain to be much
better next year, or if they are bad
two years in succession they are almost
certain to be extra good the third
year. so that the market price in a
series of years will just about equalize
itself in any one product of the farm
or dairy. Ifyou keep jumping from one
to another of cheese and butter you
are just as apt to miss it as to hit it,
and thus you become a Speculation Or
chances about equal, and the farm no
better in the end than it was when
you began. The reputation alone
that persistent man makes in g.
series of years is far more valuable
than all the profits he will ever make
out of the good luck of hitting two
good seasons by change in manage
ment.-C American Dairyman.
Autumn Care of Meadow Land.
Meadows should not be closely
grazed at any time, and especially not
in the fall. They need to have fertil-
izing materials added to instead of
taken from the soil. Young animals
are much more injurious than ma
ture ones, while full-grown stock that
are being fattened, and are fed rich
grain rations. may by their droppings
add materially to the fertility Of the
soil. Young-growing stock withhold
q large share of the potash, phosphor-
ic acid and nitrogen of the food to
build up their bodies, leaving the ma
nure comparatively poor. On the
other hand, mature fattening animals
need very little of these three chief ele-
ments of soil fertility. Aside from the
loss OF plant food, the close feeding of
stock on meadow land does mechani-
cal damage. If the soil is soft, the fest
OF the animals injure it, and the close
grazing pulls much of the grass up
by the roots. Meadows, like winter
grains, are injured by freezing and
thawing, and Elephants need to be in
a vigorous condition in late fall, with
q good growth of aftermath for pro.
lection from frosts, winds, etc. Well
rotted manure applied to the mead
ows as top dressing will strengthen
the plants and insure a fine crop
the next season. This application is
best when made soon after the hay is
removed. Later in the season much
OF the soluble material is washed out
of the soil by the fall rains. Quick
acting manures should be used In the
growing season, otherwise loss Is sus-
tanned. Take good care of the mead
ows, for they suffer greatly if abused.
They are easily and often injured by
animals In late autumn.-lP Practical
Farmer.